Lock



Patented Sept. 24, 1946 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE y Morey E. Wollin, Bmoklinfi; Mass. '1 Application December 2'7, 1944', Serial No. 569,981

'1 Claims. (01. '10-4l9)' The present invention relates to a pin tumbler 01' barrel lock which is in general use today and is considered an improvement over the older type of spring lock. The chief advantage in the barrel type pin tumbler lock is that it provides practically an infinite combination of individual keys and therefore makes it more diflicult to find a key which will open the lock. Due, however, to the lock construction now generally used, the lock is far from pick-proof and, in fact, little skill is requiredto pick a barrel type lock, in some cases the picking of the lock being comparatively easier than in the case of the old type spring lock.

Various means and methods have been'provided for picking pin tumbler locks although these methods have, for the most part, been concealed as far as possible and have been disclosed by the manufacturers of the locks only to the lock repairers and locksmiths.

The present invention overcomes this objection to the pin tumbler lock in that it provides a a means whereby the lock is practically pick-proof.

The lock of the present invention is of the pin tumbler type and may be opened with the usual flat key which may be grooved or scored with the usual markings providing a great variety of selective keys that is possible in the combination of such a construction. In the present invention instead of permitting the pins in the barrel to come in direct contact with the key, an intermediate element. is provided in the cylinder of the lock positioned within the barrel, which, element is properly positioned by the key to arrange the'ends of the pins at the junction of the circumference of the cylinder andthe barrel so that the cylinder might be: turned. In this way any person attempting to pick the lock will be faced with the difficulty of adjusting the intermediate member in. the cylinder toprovide a second adjustment of the-pin in the barrel.

In the original methodoi picking a lock the pins protruding into the cylinder are snapped backward into the recesses in the barrel while at th same time slight tension is exerted on the cylinder so that it may be turned a hair when I barrel, the cylinder will be slightly turned, preventing the pins from falling back into the cylinder again. By continually snapping back the 2 various pins; the pins are all finally aligned and the cylinder may be turned.

In the present invention the element positioned in the cylinder prevents'this type of action,and

further provides such an indeterminate reaction to any such "operation that 'it is practically impossible to-align the pin in the desired manner for picking the lock. Further merits and advantages of the present invention will :be more fully understood from the description in the specification set forth below when taken in connection with the drawingin which? Figure I shows a sectional view through the axis of the lock in the plane of t'he pins.

Figure 2" shows a section taken substantially on the section line A--A of Figure 1.

Figure 3' shows a section similar tothat shown in Figure 1 with the key inserted in the lock.

Figure 4 shows a section substantiallylike that shown in Figure 2 with the cylinder partially turned, and 3 Figure 5 shows a. detail of constructionof an element shown in the other figures.

In the arrangement set forth in the drawing, lrepresents the barrel or shell in which there is eccentrically positioned a close fitting core or cylinder 2, the turning of which controlsthe 0peration of the latch or the door bolt. A key "10 (Figure 3') inserted in the guideway ll corresponding to the key under proper conditions may turn the cylinder or core for opening or closing the latch or bolt on the door; The shell or barrel i may be'provided with a plurality of recesses as shown at'l2, 13-; M, l5, l6 and I! which may be aligned in substantially the same plane or in slightly difierent planes perpendicular'to the axis of thecore or-cylinder. These recesses are shaped to receive a plurality of pins 3; l8, i9; 25!, 21', 22

which fit into the recesses so that they may freely I move back and forth therein without a great deal oi friction but also without much play. Each recess is provided with a spring 23 which forces the pin in the direction outward from the recess.

A seen Figures 1' and 3', the barrel or shell I" provided with a plurality of slots 24, 25 and 26 extending radially outward from the'direction of the center of the core2 in alignment with the recesses in which the pins are positioned These slots may be of such a width thatthe pins iu'st freely slide into them, The slots may be wide enough to include two or more pin recesses and be provided with straight or curved sides and straight or curved top walls from which the pins project.

The core 2 is also provided with slots 21, 28 and 3 29 which are aligned with the slots 24, 25 and 26 respectively when the core is ready to receive the key as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Each slot in the core carries a wedge-shaped plate or rocker member shown in perspective in Figure 5. This plate is provided with a pin 8 perpendicular to the face of the plate and extending both sides therefrom. The pins rest in slots 3| and 32 which extend into the core 2 in a direction outward from the side walls of the slots 21, 28, and 29, two such slots 3| and 32 to each of the slots 21, 28, 29. The wedges 5 are of such thickness that they will slide freely up and down the slots 21, 28 and 29 and at the same time pivot on the pins 8. The end walls in the slots 21-, 28' and 29 are such that the turning of the wedges is limited or confined through corners of the wedges coming in contact with the end walls of the slot thus pre-.

venting them from making a, complete rotation and holding them in an upright position, as viewed in Figure 1. The wedges, therefore, have freedom of motion up and down and also in tuming about-the pivots, As indicated in Figure 5, the wedges at their bottoms are provided with two faces 40 and II which intersect at a point 1 in an acute angle at the bottom of the wedge. These faces, as indicated in Figure 3, rest on the sloping edges of the key 1 0 and when the key is in position to turn the core of the lock, the pins 3, I8, I9, 20, 2| and 22 are all pushed back to points at the circumference at the core so that the core may be freely turned. The wedges or plates 5, as indicated in Figure 3, may be of different heights as well as being provided with different angles, as indicated by the group of lines 6 in Figure 5. It will also be noted from Figures 1, 2 and 3 that the wedges may work up and down in the slot or cavities in the barrel and core because of the recesses 24, 25 and 26 which are provided in the barrel. As indicated in Figure l, the pins may project downward into the core or the wedges may project upward into the barrel. It is preferable in this connection to have the pins non-symmetrically positioned with regard to the pivot in the wedge so that the wedges will in all cases be tilted in one direction or the other.

The'number of combinations possible is practically infinite and greater than in the original pin tumbler lock. Not only must the wedge be tilted in the right direction for opening the lock I but it must be at the correct height so that in the present case the angle of the cut of the key as well as the depth of depression determines the operation of the lock.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a lock of the type described, a barreL a core fitted to turn in the barrel, said barrel having a plurality of freely movable pins engaging said core, said core being slotted longitudinally thereof, for engagement of said pins, plate elements positioned in the slots of said core and abutting on one end, the ends of said pins, the other end of said plate elements positioned in a keyway in said core and adapted to be engaged by the key entering the lock,

2. In a lock of the type described, a barrel, a core fitted to turn in the barrel, said barrel having a plurality of freely movable pins engaging said core, said core being slotted for engagement of said pins, plate elements positioned in the slots of said core and abutting on one end, the ends of said pins, the other end of said plate elements positioned in a keyway in said core, said last mentioned end being provided with an edge forming an obtuse angle and adapted to be engaged by a key entering the lock and having a corresponding obtuse angle,

3. In a lock of the type described, a barrel, 2. core fitted to turn in the barrel said barrel having a plurality of freely movable pins engaging said core, said core being slotted for engagement of said pins, p1ate elements positioned in the slots of said core and abutting on one end, the ends of said pins, the other end of said plate elements positioned in a keyway in said core, means pivoting said plate elements in the sides of said slot permitting the bottom of the plate elements to engage a keyway in said core whereby when the proper key is inserted in said keyway, the ends of the pins will lie at the periphery of said core.

4. In a lock of the type described, a barrel, a core fitted to turn in the barrel, said barrel having a plurality of freely movable pins positioned therein, said barrel and core having continuing slots aligned with said pins into which said pins move, wedge elements positioned for free motion in said slots in the core, means pivoting said wedge elements in the walls of said slots, said wedge elements engaging the ends of said pins on one edge thereof, and a keyway in said core aligned with the opposite edge of said wedge elements whereby when the proper key is inserted in said keyway said pins have their ends positioned at the periphery of said core permitting the turning of said lock. 1

5. In a lock of the type described, a barrel, a core fitted to turn in the barrel, said barrel and said core having aligned slots, p1ate means positioned in said slots for turning in an axis perpendicular to the plane of said plate and translation in the plane thereof, a keyway positioned in said core aligned with said slot for positioning said plate means whereby the lock may be turned.

6. In a lock of the type described, a barrel, a core fitted to turn in the barrel, said barrel having a plurality of freely movable pins engaging said core, said core being slotted for engagement of said pins, plate elements positioned in the slots of said core and abutting onone end, the ends of said pins, the other end of said plate elements positioned in a keyway in said core, said slots having outwardly extending grooves and said plate elements having outwardly extending pins engaging said grooves whereby said plate means may be moved in translatory and turning motion.

'7. In a lock of the type described,'a barrel, a core fitted to turn in the barrel, said barrel having a plurality of freely movable pins engaging said core, said core being slotted for engagement of said pins, plate elements positioned in' the slots of said core andabutting on one end, the ends. of said pins, the other end of said plate elements positioned in a keyway in said core, said slots having outwardly extending grooves, said plate elements having one side formed with an obtuse angle, and outwardly extending pins non-symmetrically positioned with respect to apex of said angle and engaging said grooves whereby said plate means may be moved in translatory and turning motion.

MOREY E. WOLLIN. 

